Chris Brown comments on Rihanna Instagram posts draw reaction from her fans

Fans of pop star Rihanna have reacted strongly after rapper Chris Brown, her ex-boyfriend who was convicted of assaulting her in 2009, commented on two sexy Instagram photos she posted.

According to E! News, Cosmopolitan magazine and other outlets reporting on Brown's responses, which since have been buried amid the thousands of comments on each image, the 29-year-old Brown had posted a "flushed face emoji" under one or both photos Rihanna, 30, had uploaded Thursday and Saturday. Each of Rihanna's images show her posing in a bed, wearing black stockings and red-and-black panties but otherwise covered up, as a promotion for her Savage X Fenty lingerie line.

The flushed face emoji, one of 2,823 in the Unicode Standard as of June 2018, has various related interpretations. Emojipedia.org defines it as "an embarrassed face with flushed red cheeks. This face is blushing due to a mistake, or other embarrassing situation."

Reactions toward Brown on Instagram were mixed but appeared to be largely negative. "I love your music . . . but damn your (sic) a piece of absolute [expletive]" reads one. "Leave her ALONE," reads another. "Lmaooooo somebody get the raid," reads a particularly amused response, while another reads simply, “Die."

Some directly referenced Brown's February 2009 attack on then-girlfriend Rihanna, which left her bruised and bloodied. He pleaded guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to five years probation and 1,400 hours of community service, later lengthened by another 1,000 hours. "That the face you made when you bruised her face?" wrote one person. "Taking a quick break from abusing women?" wrote another. "[Nine] ... years after you're charged you still have to make your presence known?"

Some were more forgiving in their responses. "If she didn't want him to or doesn't mind he likes and comments all she has to do is block him," wrote one person. "Y'all mind your business and let him post what he wants! Their business is just that their business!” wrote another. One even encouraged Brown, "Stop playing and get ya lady back."

Brown and Rihanna eventually renewed at least a friendship, kissing before a crowd at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2012, but appear to have had little interaction in recent years.